The triangle in a circle is what I use for a signature. It was a symbol I was always fascinated with, I dreamed about it as long as I could remember and I had no idea what it meant at first. I know now its a pretty widely used occult symbol for water probably because it is so feminine in relation to fire and the upside down triangle resembles womens genitalia. At first I used it on everything but as time went on I started tucking it away more in the painting and sometimes left it out altogether. I think because I felt that the work wasn’t mine alone but more something that came through me not just from me.

As the sea rages around him, The Hermit withdraws into his cloak, maintaining inner tranquility in the face of external chaos. Though he appears alone, he is never entirely cut off. The lamp that he carries burns continually as evidence of his connection to the source, impervious to the waters that swirl around him.

In time, the stillness that resides within will emerge, streaming from under his hood and calm even the surf that surges around him.

In the companion booklet to the Limited Edition Majors set, Marie confirms that The Great Wave Off Kanagawa provided the inspiration for this card. She further states that the Hermit replaces Mt. Fuji. We no longer see him on the mountain, because he is the mountain. This makes sense to me when you think of someone who has isolated himself and gone so deeply within that he can no longer be swayed by external influences. He has become a rock.

The Hermits cloak resembles an Octopus (it has 8 tentacles). An octopus can camouflage itself when it feels threatened, and can avoid the dangers as it creates an illusion by blending into the surroundings. This sounds very much like a Hermit that wants to be left alone.

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